Should he say stuff like this? Of course not. But really, he’s still just a kid and I suspect once he matures more you’ll hear less of this type stuff. All the stories you see of the male brain not being fully developed until the mid-20s may be a factor here.

]]>By: sabathiawouldbegoodattheeighthtoohttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/30/bryce-harper-isnt-thrilled-about-the-nationals-lineup-tonight/comment-page-1/#comment-731649
Tue, 01 Jul 2014 17:55:24 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=527558#comment-731649I understand the potential. I suppose my point is that he is a bit green to be calling out players who have been around much longer than him, and who are quite accomplished in their own right. Harper seems a bit more impetuous than smart. Perhaps his relationship with his manager is a bit strained, but things like this are likely why.
]]>By: duckyjimpondhttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/30/bryce-harper-isnt-thrilled-about-the-nationals-lineup-tonight/comment-page-2/#comment-731622
Tue, 01 Jul 2014 17:18:11 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=527558#comment-731622Bryce Harper needs to learn to keep his mouth shut. His teammates will think better of him. He has not lived up to all his hype nor earned his BIG SALARY YET

SHUT THE FREEK UP BRYCE

]]>By: 18thstreethttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/30/bryce-harper-isnt-thrilled-about-the-nationals-lineup-tonight/comment-page-1/#comment-731613
Tue, 01 Jul 2014 17:03:00 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=527558#comment-731613I would also add that, in their playoff year, he was their best everyday player. He wasn’t even 20 for most of that season.

If he doesn’t wind up as a Hall of Fame player, I’ll be genuinely surprised.

]]>By: 18thstreethttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/30/bryce-harper-isnt-thrilled-about-the-nationals-lineup-tonight/comment-page-1/#comment-731612
Tue, 01 Jul 2014 16:59:19 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=527558#comment-731612Denard’s best years were built on getting on base and playing great defense. He doesn’t do either of those things any more. I loved the trade at the time in happened, because the Nationals — especially under Jim Bowden — simply did not value OBP. And Span may be a heck of a guy, but Harper’s a better player.

He’s not perfect. The aggressiveness on the basepaths, I think, is a net zero — he gets thrown out a lot. But it makes him fun to watch. He really struggles against lefties. Lefties with half a brain leave him helpless. His defense is suspect, especially for a guy with his speed. Then again, he was a catcher until the Nats and Scott Boras decided he should be an outfielder, ironically to protect him from injury.

And as much as I enjoy the guy, and am glad he’s on my second-favorite team, I do believe that a player — old or young — shouldn’t question his manager publicly. But Matt Williams shouldn’t have humiliated Harper by benching him for not hustling on a line-drive ball fielded cleanly by the pitcher.

Harper hustles just fine. Williams wanted to flex his muscles and show he’s the boss. It was a jerk move, and an unnecessary one. I don’t think the team will be able to tolerate having Williams and Harper together for very long.

]]>By: eagles512http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/30/bryce-harper-isnt-thrilled-about-the-nationals-lineup-tonight/comment-page-1/#comment-731559
Tue, 01 Jul 2014 15:34:58 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=527558#comment-731559It makes me question his intelligence more than anything. To basically say that a teammate should not be playing.
]]>By: pete2112http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/30/bryce-harper-isnt-thrilled-about-the-nationals-lineup-tonight/comment-page-1/#comment-731533
Tue, 01 Jul 2014 14:58:50 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=527558#comment-731533Wow. Hey Harper, maybe wait until you’re at least 23 years old before thinking you know best.
]]>By: yahmulehttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/30/bryce-harper-isnt-thrilled-about-the-nationals-lineup-tonight/comment-page-1/#comment-731486
Tue, 01 Jul 2014 14:04:02 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=527558#comment-731486No, we’re going to comment freely. The Kaline comment followed the guy who made the laughable assertion that Harper is better than Griffey and Mantle. Nobody is going to come and pull the Bryce Fathead off your wall.
]]>By: yahmulehttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/30/bryce-harper-isnt-thrilled-about-the-nationals-lineup-tonight/comment-page-1/#comment-731481
Tue, 01 Jul 2014 13:59:58 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=527558#comment-731481I think you’re being facetious, endash01. I think you prefer prima donnas who spout a lot of stupid nonsense. Like Bryce.
]]>By: yahmulehttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/30/bryce-harper-isnt-thrilled-about-the-nationals-lineup-tonight/comment-page-1/#comment-731477
Tue, 01 Jul 2014 13:55:48 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=527558#comment-731477Yeah, second guessing the manager in the media is awesome. That’s exactly what you want to hear from a young ballplayer.
]]>By: sabathiawouldbegoodattheeighthtoohttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/30/bryce-harper-isnt-thrilled-about-the-nationals-lineup-tonight/comment-page-1/#comment-731471
Tue, 01 Jul 2014 13:52:45 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=527558#comment-731471I get that he has the potential to be something special, and has the potential to be their best player. However, he hasn’t actually done it yet. He has not really fulfilled that promise.

And while I appreciate that his career will probably see him become a better player than Denard Span, that also hasn’t happened yet. Sure, Bryce will hit more HR, but Denard has a couple of 5 WAR seasons under his belt while Bryce does not even have a couple of seasons worth of games played under his belt yet.

Which is all to say, Bryce still has enough work to do as a Nats outfielder that he should focus on that job. He should not be worrying about the jobs of manager, the second baseman or the other OF, from whom he should be trying to learn.

Harper hasn’t stayed healthy. He needs at bats but at least this coach is making him earn it. Pure talent sometimes needs a little prodding.

Shut up and earn it son..

]]>By: imauggiedoggiehttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/30/bryce-harper-isnt-thrilled-about-the-nationals-lineup-tonight/comment-page-1/#comment-731418
Tue, 01 Jul 2014 12:54:50 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=527558#comment-731418WTF ~ give it a rest already. harper has played, what, something like 200 games or less? comparing him to al kaline or other HOF players who had more years in the MAJORS, let alone baseball careers, than harper’s been ALIVE is insane!

let the kid play, let him spout off or whatever and remove him from your FANTASY team if he bugs you that much!

]]>By: imauggiedoggiehttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/30/bryce-harper-isnt-thrilled-about-the-nationals-lineup-tonight/comment-page-1/#comment-731415
Tue, 01 Jul 2014 12:51:21 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=527558#comment-731415WTF ~ give it a rest already. harper has played, what, something like 200 games or less? comparing him to al kaline or other HOF players who had more years in the MAJORS, let alone baseball careers, than harper’s been ALIVE is insane!

let the kid play, let him spout off or whatever and remove him from your FANTASY team if he bugs you that much!

]]>By: kelsocarpenterhttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/30/bryce-harper-isnt-thrilled-about-the-nationals-lineup-tonight/comment-page-1/#comment-731408
Tue, 01 Jul 2014 12:39:09 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=527558#comment-731408David Proctor’s right on here. I’m pretty sure it’s impossible to be categorized as having “not lived up to the hype” when you’re 21 years old. He’s got another 15-20 years to do that. People will stop comparing Trout and Harper eventually just like they stopped comparing Frank Thomas and Ken Griffey.
]]>By: emdash01http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/30/bryce-harper-isnt-thrilled-about-the-nationals-lineup-tonight/comment-page-1/#comment-731399
Tue, 01 Jul 2014 11:45:07 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=527558#comment-731399Yes, I too like athletes better when they’re blank spaces I can project my own thoughts onto rather than pesky people with their own opinions.
]]>By: emdash01http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/30/bryce-harper-isnt-thrilled-about-the-nationals-lineup-tonight/comment-page-1/#comment-731396
Tue, 01 Jul 2014 11:42:36 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=527558#comment-7313962019, so he’ll be on the team a good long while unless Rizzo does something really stupid.
]]>By: emdash01http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/30/bryce-harper-isnt-thrilled-about-the-nationals-lineup-tonight/comment-page-1/#comment-731393
Tue, 01 Jul 2014 11:39:53 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=527558#comment-731393Well, less likely to be a Big Deal that makes people without context decide the player’s a punk, then, I suppose.
]]>By: emdash01http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/30/bryce-harper-isnt-thrilled-about-the-nationals-lineup-tonight/comment-page-1/#comment-731390
Tue, 01 Jul 2014 11:37:24 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=527558#comment-731390…what’s so bad about that quote? He’s saying that he’s okay wherever Matt Williams decides to play him do long as he gets to play. Lots of players, including some on the Nationals, have said the same thing. You really have to read into it for that to be a bad thing.
]]>By: numbskull111http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/30/bryce-harper-isnt-thrilled-about-the-nationals-lineup-tonight/comment-page-1/#comment-731388
Tue, 01 Jul 2014 11:23:27 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=527558#comment-731388At the time Span said that we all assumed he meant Zimmerman…but if he said he is “used to playing with bad outfielders”….do you think that could have been a dig at Harper too. If so, maybe that is why Harper is on the “I Hate Span” tour.
]]>By: 18thstreethttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/30/bryce-harper-isnt-thrilled-about-the-nationals-lineup-tonight/comment-page-1/#comment-731387
Tue, 01 Jul 2014 11:03:01 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=527558#comment-731387I’m with this guy. I like when they express opinions. I like Harper (in part because I mostly agree with him here), but even if I didn’t, it’s cool to hear. I don’t need him to say “Yes, sir. Just happy to help the team any way I can!” Not with this idiot manager, anyway.
]]>By: 18thstreethttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/30/bryce-harper-isnt-thrilled-about-the-nationals-lineup-tonight/comment-page-1/#comment-731385
Tue, 01 Jul 2014 10:56:09 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=527558#comment-731385He’s their best player. I know a lot of people want him to shut up and play (that’s certainly the consensus here), but he’s terrific. He plays with fire and passion, taking extra bases and crashing into walls.

This just dawned on me: he’s the opposite of JD Drew in a lot of ways. Drew was a really good player in ways that were mostly invisible — drawing walks, playing solid defense, etc. Harper is a really good player but all his strengths and weaknesses are very, very visible. Harper can’t shut up; Drew was a stone.

The main thing I’m taking away from this year, with Harper, is that he’s gone when free agency comes. I believe that’s after 2015.

]]>By: cktaihttp://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/30/bryce-harper-isnt-thrilled-about-the-nationals-lineup-tonight/comment-page-1/#comment-731376
Tue, 01 Jul 2014 06:33:13 +0000http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=527558#comment-731376Harper was hyped to put up historic numbers at a young age. As David Proctor showed, he did exactly that. The fact that Trout did even better does not mean Harper was overhyped. It means that Trout was underhyped. And besides, how is Harper to blame for the fatc people hyped him?
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